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Furnished rental: the official list of required furniture (and the risk of reclassification)

7 min read By the Belvie team

A “furnished” apartment is not an apartment with a few pieces of furniture. The law sets a precise list of equipment, and if one item is missing, the lease can be reclassified (requalifié) as an unfurnished rental, with everything that changes for the owner. Here is the official list, and what to do with it.

What the law says

Article 25-4 of the Law of July 6, 1989 requires, for a furnished dwelling, furniture in sufficient number and quality to allow the tenant to sleep, eat and live decently. Decree No. 2015-981 of July 31, 2015, in force since September 1, 2015, sets the minimum list. Each room must also be fitted with furniture suited to its use.

The official list: eleven items

According to the decree, a furnished dwelling includes at a minimum:

  1. Bedding, with a duvet or blanket;
  2. Window coverings in the bedrooms (shutters or curtains);
  3. Cooktop burners ;
  4. An oven or a microwave oven ;
  5. A refrigerator, with a freezer or a freezer compartment;
  6. Dishes needed for taking meals;
  7. Kitchen utensils ;
  8. A table and chairs ;
  9. Storage shelves ;
  10. Light fixtures ;
  11. Cleaning equipment suited to the characteristics of the dwelling.

The list is a minimum. It doesn't say how many glasses or pieces of cutlery, or which brand of refrigerator: it is the whole that must allow an occupant to move in without bringing anything. The Service-Public fact sheets and the ANIL repeat the same list.

What happens if one is missing

The risk is reclassification. Service-Public states that a judge can reclassify a furnished lease as an unfurnished rental if the required furniture isn't present. Paris ADIL (May 2026) details what this can entail:

  • The term: application of the unfurnished-rental rules (three years) instead of those of furnished rental;
  • The security deposit: capped at one month's rent, instead of two;
  • The rent: application of the unfurnished-rental references, generally lower in Paris;
  • Notice: a notice given under the furnished-rental rules can be annulled; the unfurnished-rental procedure must be followed.

ADIL cites case law under which the absence of a single item can be enough (Toulouse Court of Appeal, May 11, 2022). Conversely, reclassification was rejected where the tenant had himself asked for furniture to be removed (Poitiers Court of Appeal, February 4, 2025). According to a Paris Court of Appeal decision of January 22, 2026 cited by ADIL, the action for reclassification must be brought within three years of the signing of the lease.

The classic mistake: an apartment rented “furnished” with a sofa, a bed and a table, but with no cooktop or refrigerator. As long as the tenant says nothing, nothing happens. The day there is a dispute over the security deposit or the rent, it is the first point their lawyer will check.

Proving the furniture is there

The landlord must be able to demonstrate that the items are present. Service-Public points out that an inventory and a detailed statement of the furniture are drawn up when the keys are handed over and when they are returned, signed by both parties and attached to the lease. For the room-by-room method, see our guide to the move-in/move-out inspection of a furnished rental.

A checklist before signing

  1. Compare your apartment to the eleven items, one by one, room by room.
  2. Photograph the furniture and keep the invoices for the main equipment.
  3. Attach a detailed inventory to the lease and to the move-in inspection report.
  4. Replace anything that is out of use before signing rather than after the first complaint.
  5. Think about choosing the right lease: furnished or unfurnished, depending on the tenant's profile — we compare the two in furnished or unfurnished rental in Paris.

During the free audit of your property, Belvie looks at the condition and equipment of the apartment and tells you frankly what to plan for before renting it out. We then sign a lease directly with you: the rent is fixed and guaranteed every month, whether the apartment is occupied or not.

Key takeaways

  1. Decree No. 2015-981 requires a minimum of eleven items in a furnished dwelling.
  2. One item missing? The lease can be reclassified as an unfurnished rental: three-year term, deposit capped at one month, unfurnished-rental notice rules.
  3. The landlord must prove the furniture is present through an inventory attached to the lease.
  4. Compare, photograph, attach before signing, not after.

This article is for information only and does not replace legal advice. The classification of a lease depends on the facts and on case law; if in doubt, contact your ADIL or a legal professional.

Official sources

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